Cisco has announced that its VideoGuard conditional access solution has been selected by Platco Digital to help provide the whole of the African continent with access to affordable multi-channel TV.
Initially deployed in South Africa, Platco’s free-to-air multichannel satellite television platform, OpenView HD will enable South Africans with access to over 10 new channels, offering High Definition (HD) television with no subscription, a first in Africa.

OpenView HD will open the world of multichannel free to air television to every South African. Viewers only pay a one-off fee which includes a set-top box, dish and installation and there are no monthly subscriptions. This is free TV in broadcast in HD via satellite.

Platco Digital have selected Cisco’s VideoGuard conditional access solution to not only protect the distribution of their content on the Openview HD platform by ensuring that only licensed set-top boxes can access the services but also enables Platco to better understand its viewership statistics.

This system also represents Cisco’s first commercial deployment of its card-less solution designed for use in a one-way broadcast environments.

As the industry’s leading TV security solution, and part of Cisco’s Videoscape Unity portfolio, VideoGuard secures over $80-billion of TV revenues worldwide. Videoscape Unity, incorporating software, hardware and security for the media and entertainment industry, is currently enabling TV viewing in nearly a quarter of all TV homes worldwide.

Alpheus Mangale, MD, Cisco South Africa comments: “The Cisco Videoscape Unity platform uniquely addresses the changing needs of our TV customers now and into the future. We are proud to support Platco Digital as they lay the foundations for providing a multichannel free HD experience that can be enjoyed by every South African.”